Folding lounge or couch



T,Q.HALL. Y l

FOLDING LOUNGE 0R GOUGH.

No. 517,102. f Patented-Manz?, 1894'. I

UNITED STATES PATENT THOMAS Q. HALL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

FOLDING LOUNGE OR COUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,102', dated March 27, 1894.

Applicationiiled October 29. 1892. Serial Noi450,398. (No model.)

.To wZ whom t may col/1.067%:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Q. HALL, of Kansas City, Jackson county, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful` Improvements in Folding Lounges or Couches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to that class of lounges or couches which are constructed so as to fold or close to form a lounge or couch, and to open so as to form a bed; and the objects of my inventionare to produce a lounge or couch frame, in which the mattress may be conveniently folded or doubled when the lounge isin its folded or closed position; which shall possess the utmost solidity and strength, and which is simple and comparatively inexpensive of construction.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar and novel features 4sition over the mattress.

of construction and arrangement as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l, represents a folding lounge, embodylng my improvements in its opened pos1t1on. Fig. 2, represents an end view of the mattress frame, and showing it in folded po- Fig. 3, represents a portion of my improved lounge, in side elevation and partly folded. Fig. 4, represents a perspective View, showing the manner of hinging the two sections of the folding frame together, so that a suflicient space shall intervene between said sections when folded together, for the reception of the mattress.

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the hinge de-` tached from the folding-frame. Fig. 6, is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, where similar numerals designate similar part-s in all the figures, 1 designates the rectangular folding frame, which forms the body-portion of the lounge or couch, and which is composed of a stationary section supported upon legs or posts 2, and a similar portion which is hinged to the stationary portion, and .which is also provided with a supporting leg 2 and a headportion 3 which forms a support for the head end, of the lounge or couch whenin its open ed position, as illustrated in Fig. 1. When in its closed position, this head portion 3 forms a support for the user, whether in asittingora reclining position. A recess or groove 7 is formed at the inner side and near the lower margin of each side rail of the folding frame l, by means of a strip l", secured longitudinally to the inner side thereof, and an inner rail 8 which is secured longitudinally to the inner side of the strip l and projects a suitable distance above the upper surface of said strip lb. It is to be understood that the grooves 7 may be formed in a variety of ways withoutl departing from the spirit of my invention, a number of pins or lugs erected at intervals near the inner margin 'of the strip lb would serve the same purpose as the inner side rail 8. The object of these grooves 7 will be presently explained. l

A rectangular mattress frame of size suitable to iit within the folding frame described, is composed of the two similar sections L3a-3a, which are hinged together in a manner, which I shall now proceed to describe. The adjacent or inner ends of the head rails and the adjacent or inner ends of the foot rails of the mattress frame, are each provided with an enlargement 15 having its upper face inclined and extending upwardly and inwardly toward each other and a suitable distance above the upper surface of the said head and foot rails, the two enlargements forming when the mattress frame is in its opened position, anl

isosceles triangle as shown in Fig. 4, and a hinge 14 has its opposite leaves secured upon the inclined surfaces of the enlargements at the inner ends of the head rails,and a similar hinge 14 has its leaves also secured upon the inclined surfaces of the enlargements at the inner ends of the foot rails thus firmly connecting the two sections of the mattress together. It will thus be seen that the Inattress-frameY is folded to the position illustrated in Fig. 2, an intervening space is formed between the upper and lower sections 3a3a, for the reception of the folded or doubled mattress. The inner ends of the headand foot rails of each section Sa-Ba of the folding mattress frame are connected at their under sides by the longitudinal brace strips 5-5, and a wire mattress 6, extends lroo entirely across the upper side of the mattress frame, as illustratedin Fig. 1. Located at interyals upon the upper sides of the brace strlps 5 5, are the helical springs 6, the u pper ends of which bear against the under slde of the spring mattress 6; thus providing an auxiliary spring to the mattress at its weakest point, and preventing it, when the bed is occupied, coming into contact with the'brace strips 5 5; the coils of the helical springs as more or less weight is applied upon the mattress, fitting one within the other and rendering the mattress at all points equally resilient; thus obviating the hard surfaces, usually found at those points, in the mattresses of the folding lounges or couches ofthe usual construction The lower margins of the outer siderails of themattress frameare eachprovided witha depending and longitudinal flange or strip 4,

which when the mattress frame is in its opened or unfolded position, are adapted to engage the longitudinal grooves 7 formed at the inner sides of the side rails of the folding frame 1, and eye-pins 9 entering the inner sldes of the head and foot railsof the folding ,frame l, have their outer ends bearing upon the upper sides of the head and foot rails of` the mattress folding frame, as illustrated,thus

securing the mattress frame firmly within the i folding frame l. W'hen the lounge or couch islopened to form a bed, the mattress frame being secured within the folding frame l as described opens or unfolds at the same time, to the position illustrated, and pillow-frames 10 of U-form and made of wire have their free ends turned to pivotally engage the eyes of the eye-pins 9, so that they may be folded down upon the mattress when the lounge or couch is closed.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a lounge or conch, that is simple, strong, and comparatively inexpensive of construction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, an d desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a folding couch or lounge, the combination with a folding-frame consisting of two sections hinged together at their inner edges, and provided with a longitudinal groove 'at the inner side of each side railand extending scontinuously from end rail to end rail, of a mattress frame consisting of two sections hinged together at the inner ends of the end rails, and having a longitudinal strip 4, at the lower margin of each side rail and extending continuously thereof, and adapted to engage the continuous grooves 7, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whercoflaftix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS Q. HALL. Witnesses MAUD FITZPATRIGK, MARGARET R. REMLEY. 

